Magan no Naruto
by Kibou no Nanaya Zero
Summary: A life-changing ability... A fated encounter... Naruto is about to see things with a new perspective now.  AU, Crossover. Pairing Decided.  Note that Rating may change in the future.
1. Perceiving Death

Magan no Naruto

A Naruto/Nasu-verse Crossover Fic

**A/N: Not much to say here other than inspiration can be a bitch.**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor the Nasu-verse. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Type-Moon respectively.

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Chapter 01: Perceiving Death

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Naruto's P.o.V.

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Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

That was the first sound to reach my ears as I awoke. I tried to drown it out by rolling over, but it was to no avail. That noise continued to grind on my nerves. I tried to avoid thinking about it, hoping that if I didn't show any signs of responding to it, the source would go away. However, it continued on in a steady, consistant pace.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Sighing, I begin to open my eyes, only for my vision to be flooded with white. So much white... It was almost blinding. I was forced to blink a few times to adjust to the lighting. Once my eyes had adjusted, I almost immediately recognized where I was. Only one place had so much white, and I would know because I've been sent here on an occasional basis. I was in a hospital room, the very one that was kept in reserve for me for whenever a few angry villagers managed to catch me, and put me in terrible condition. That must mean the ticking is a wall clock above my bed...

I couldn't help but sigh tiredly, as I tried to remember what had happened before I was hospitalized again. However, all I got were bits and pieces of it. Apparently, I either took a killer blow to the head, or my mind is blocking the memory out. Either way, I don't really care. I have enough nightmares as it is. I sighed once more, as I tried to get up, only to have a good deal of trouble. It felt like my body was a lead weight. All I could manage was to push myself into a sitting position, and even then, I had to support myself with both arms. This is honestly a new feeling for me, because every time I've woken up in here in the past, I'd feel as good as new.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

That sound reaches my ears, and I look towards the door, wincing at the stiff feeling in my neck. It silently opened to reveal one of the few people in the entire village that I trust: The Sandaime Hokage, or Ojii-san as I like to call him. He's the closest thing I have to family. A surprised look crosses his aged features as his gaze meets mine. He walks over to my bedside, smiling softly.

"Naruto-kun, it's good to see you're awake. How do you feel?" He asks, pulling up a chair and taking a seat. I smile weakly at my grandfather-figure, and respond.

"I've been better, Ojii-san... I'm kinda' tired and stiff." I say, allowing me to hear how raspy my voice sounded right then. My throat was rather dry, after all...

"I would imagine so. After all, you've been out cold for a good week now." My mind comes to a halt when I hear him say that. I was out for a week? That's another first. It usually only takes me a day or so to recover. Perhaps I should find out more about what happened to me.

"Ojii-san... What happened.?" I ask weakly, my voice a bit rough from being unused for quite a while. A sad look crosses his face. I have a feeling I know what's coming next.

"Naruto... I'm afraid the villagers got to you again... With the help of a chuunin. By the time we had arrived to save you, you were near death, as a kunai slash had cut a good part of your heart, and reached your stomach. It's a miracle that you're alive still, even more so that you're now awake and well enough to talk." He explains.

I knew it. However, something strikes me as odd. Now, I'm no medic nin, nor am I an expert on biology, but even I know that the odds of me surviving a wound that damaged my heart are almost non-existent. How have I survived all these attacks...? Ojii-san always says that it's a miracle, but I know that miracles don't happen this often. I decide to voice this to the Sandaime.

"Jiji... Tell me the truth... How did I really survive...? It couldn't have been a miracle." I can't help but notice the Hokage's flinch at my question. Apparently, I struck a sensitive topic, which makes me want to know all the more. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, he finally speaks.

"I was afraid this day would come sooner than I had hoped..." He sighed, before looking me straight in the eyes. "Naruto-kun... What I'm about to tell you is an S-Class secret of the village... Only you are free to tell it, without facing the punishment, as it directly involves you." My interest continues to rise. An S-Class secret involving ME? What could possibly be so important about an orphan like me? I decide to be patient and let him finish what he's saying before I ask anything more.

"Nine years ago, On October Tenth... The Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked the village, and we were almost completely powerless to stop it... Only the Yondaime could defeat it, but at the cost of his life." I nod impatiently. I knew all that. Hell, everyone in the village knew that. What he says next, however, catches me off guard.

"That is only half true. The Yondaime couldn't defeat the fox." I raise an inquisitive eyebrow at this. If the Yondaime couldn't defeat it, then wouldn't Konoha be nothing more than a memory right now? "Instead, he chose to seal it. But he couldn't seal it in himself or an object, as it would break free easily. Instead, he chose something with Chakra Coils that had yet to be developed, Chakra Coils that could adapt to a massive power... A newborn baby."

I freeze as the pieces come together for me. October Tenth, Nine years ago was the day I was born... In the back of my mind, I already have figured it out, but I silently pray to kami that I'm wrong.

"Jiji... I was that newborn... Wasn't I...?" I ask, looking down at the sheet covering the lower half of my body. Sighing sadly, the Hokage nods. I can practically hear the sound of reality as I know it shattering around me.

"Yes, Naruto... You contain the spirit and power of the Kyuubi No Kitsune... It is the reason you've been able to survive near-death injuries so often." He said solemnly. It all made sense to me now... The hateful looks, the angry whispers, the spiteful names... It was all because of the fox. In a way, I'm relieved, because that meant it wasn't me who caused the villagers to hate me so much, but what I contained. On the other hand, I'm depressed, because my life has been hell for something I couldn't control. Nonetheless, I'm thankful that I finally know the truth.

"Thanks, Jiji... I feel a bit better knowing that..." I say appreciatively, causing the Hokage to blink in surprise.

"I'm surprised at how well you're taking this, Naruto-kun." He says. I can't blame him, because I'm surprised a bit too. I'm fairly certain that under any other circumstances, this would've had me reeling in shock. I shudder to think about what I'd be doing in that case. Today, however, I feel I just don't have the energy to do anything other than accept this.

"Same here, Jiji. Same here..." I say, smiling weakly. It was then, however, that something caught my attention. Something that I should have noticed immediately... Everywhere I look, there's something different than normal. Perhaps it was my fatigue that caused me to miss it. Or was it something else? Either way, I decide to voice the question on my mind to the Sandaime.

"Jiji... Why is everything covered in lines...? Even you... Did someone go crazy with a marker, or something...?" I ask. For just a brief moment, I see a frown mar the Hokage's face, before he quickly replaces it with a smile. Getting up from his seat, he excuses himself from my company, and heads to the door, all while muttering one thing.

"It seems it couldn't be avoided after all..."

When the door closes behind him, I blink in confusion. What couldn't be avoided...? What did that have to do with the lines? A bunch of questions pop into my head, but none of them get answered. My eyelids start to feel heavy after a while, so I lay back down, and close my eyes, before beginning to sleep...

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The Next Day...

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When I wake up, I notice that I'm still in the same hospital room as before. Same walls, same ceiling, same wall clock that's starting to get on my nerves... From what I've been told, it's a Sunday, so there's not as many people working today. The Hokage has yet to visit me today, and I've got nothing to do since I was ordered to stay in bed, so I'm getting bored quickly.

I begin to drum my fingers on the sheet covering the lower-half of my body, only to pause as I feel something... strange. Looking down, I blink as I notice that one of my fingers have sunk into one of the lines Curiosity getting the better of me, I try to push my finger in deeper, and to my surprise, it goes in easily. An idea comes to me as I pull my finger out. Grabbing a fruit knife from the table at my bedside, I stick it into one of the lines along the bed, and begin to trace along it.

What happened next caught me completely off guard. The bed broke from where I traced the line, and hit the ground with a loud crash. A nurse comes in, and gives a yell of surprise at the sight that greeted her. I couldn't blame her, seeing as how I'd probably do the same in her position.

A few minutes later, I find myself standing in the office of one of the doctors, with the Hokage, and several other people, all of them looking at me either warily or with curiosity. I feel a bit uneasy under all this attention. Normally, I'd welcome it as long as it didn't involve hatred, but this is different. I feel like I'm an experiment that's being evaluated here.

"Now, Naruto-kun, please tell me how you broke the bed? I promise I won't be mad." Ojii-san asks, with a small smile on his face in an attempt to put me at ease. I pull out the fruit knife, which I brought along with me, and simply say that I traced one of the lines I saw on the bed. Ojii-san and the other people share a look. The unease I'm feeling seems to increase by a good amount as I hear them muttering to each other. Soon, the Sandaime looks back to me.

"Now, Naruto-kun, there are no such lines anywhere. Please, tell us the truth." I feel sad at this. One of the few people I trust in the entire village wouldn't believe me... However, I tried telling them again.

"I am telling the truth. I traced the line and the bed broke apart!" I exclaim desperately. The Hokage just sighs, before placing a hand on my shoulder, and leading me back to the room I'm staying in.

"Alright , Naruto-kun, if you don't want to tell us today, that's fine. We can just continue this talk tomorrow." He says, while helping me get up into my bed, and pulling the covers up to my reach. I felt like crying. Why wouldn't jiji believe me..? When we reach the room, he gently guides me to the new bed, and helps me get settled on it. Before he leaves, he tells me to try and not break this bed too. The smile on his face tells me that he's just teasing me, but his words strike me a bit more than he would know.

I knew I couldn't stay in this room for much longer, so I stood up in the bed, opened the nearby window, and jumped out. I kept the fruit knife with me so I could at least have some chance of defending myself if I was spotted by some villagers. The very second I land, I start running away from the hospital. I didn't care which way I was going, as long as it was away. I don't know how long I had been running, but I knew I didn't get far, as my chest wound started hurting quite a bit after a short while. When I stop, I look around. I was in the forest surrounding the village.

I didn't get very far at all...

I sit down in the grass and sigh, as a lone tear streaks down my cheek. I look up at the sky, hoping to find some reprieve from the problems I had. I can still see the lines in the branches that obscure parts of the sky from my view. My head hurts a bit as I look at them, so I close my eyes. I don't know how long I stayed like that, but eventually a woman's voice calls out to me, snapping me out of my dozing.

"Hey you. It's dangerous to rest in a place like that." The voice says. I open my eyes cautiously, before looking around for the source of the voice. It isn't long before I find her.

Long, bright red hair that flows down to her back, blue eyes that glimmer with a hint of mischief, somewhat tanned skin without a scar to be seen... I can't help but blush briefly at her beauty. Her outfit is rather simplistic, consisting of a white t-shirt, jeans that seem to fit her legs firmly, and sneakers. A briefcase is in her right hand, and a neutral expression is on her face as she looks down at me.

"Eh?" I manage to get out in my surprise, before realizing how stupid that must have made me sound. I resist the urge to facepalm, seeing as how that would most likely worsen the mild headache I'm experiencing. Then again, her words didn't seem to hold any malice towards me.

"I said, it's dangerous to rest there like that. You're a runt, so I can't see you when you if you're laying down in a place like that. I was this close to kicking you." She says while pointing at me grumpily, and I can't help but glare at that statement. I know I'm short, but I'm still growing! I feel a bit of my usual energy return to me as I stand up, and glare at her.

"Hey, I'm still growing, darn it! So don't go calling me a runt!" I exclaim, causing the woman to blink in surprise, before she chuckled slightly. I blink in surprise, before heatedly asking what's so funny.

"Nothing, it's just this is the first time I've seen a kid talk to me like that." She says in an amused tone of voice. Almost immediately after, our eyes meet. Apparently, she sees something that bothers her, as a frown plays on her lips.

"You've got a strange set of eyes, kid. They scream that something's bothering you..." She pauses for a moment, before setting her suitcase down on the ground, and sitting down next to me. She pats the ground, gesturing for me to do the same. Seeing no harm in doing so, I comply.

"Well, I suppose it's fate that we met here. Would you like to talk for a little while? My name's Aozaki Aoko, by the way." She asks me, smiling softly. I'm taken aback. A total stranger is actually taking an interest in me? I don't understand why, but something about her makes me feel like I can trust her with my problems. Before I know it, I tell her my name, before telling her everything that's happened up to this day.

Time passes quickly as we talk. I retell everything that's happened to me that I can remember, and she responds with some advice, or her own insight on the situation. As this goes on, I feel as if a great weight is being lifted from my shoulders. Not even the Sandaime has been able to listen to me this much, due to the fact he's usually so busy with being the Hokage. Eventually, she takes notice of the sun's position in the sky, before standing up.

"Oh, it's this time already. Sorry, Naruto, but I've got some business to take care of. So let's stop here." She says as she holds out a hand to help me up. I grasp her cool hand, idly marveling at how soft her skin feels, before getting pulled to my feet. However, it feels like my chest is constricting. Once she leaves, I'll be all alone again...

"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be waiting here for you in this same spot, okay? You should go back to your room and listen to your doctor's orders until then." My mouth forms a simple 'oh' at this. She speaks with such ease as she walks off, giving me a cheerful farewell. A wide smile forms on my face as I realize what this means. Happiness fills my heart as I begin to head back to the Hospital. Tomorrow we'll be able to talk again...

That night, my sleep was easily the most restful I've ever had.

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Five days later...

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It's been a few days now, since I first met her. I'm still hospitalized, since the Sandaime wants to make sure I have no real lasting damage to my health. However, this doesn't stop me from leaving each day to go see Aoko. I don't know why, but for a while, every time I called her that, she would seem to get a bit angry, like she didn't like her own name. I thought of calling her something different, but I soon dismissed that thought. I told her that I'd never stop calling her by her name because to me, it represented someone who brought me back from the edge of despair, and helped me a great deal through my troubles. She seemed a bit surprised, before smiling and nodding at me.

Today, however, I'm a bit nervous about our meeting. This is because I've kept the lines a secret from her, and I was going to change that. I brought the fruit knife with me to where we usually meet: The same spot where we first ran into each other. When I arrived, I saw her sitting down and looking up at the sky as she waited for me.

"Aoko-nee," I called to her cheerfully, causing her to look in my direction and wave me over. I happily oblige before continuing what I was going to say. "I've got something to show you!" She looks at me with mild surprise, before asking what it was. Pulling out the fruit knife, I lock my gaze onto a piece of thick shrubbery at the edge of the clearing. Walking up to it, I focus before tracing the knife along one of the lines. The result is immediate, as the top half of the bush falls to the ground with nothing more than a rustling of leaves. I look back to Aoko with a grin on my face.

"See? Nobody else can do something like this, right?" I ask, expecting some sort of applause or question as to how I did it. What I didn't expect was for her to exclaim my name, before slapping me across the face. My eyes widen in shock at this, as my mind reels. She clasps my face with both hands, forcing me to look at her, and fixes me with a stern look.

"What you just did was very thoughtless, Naruto. You shouldn't destroy things like that just to show off." She says firmly. It doesn't take me long to realize what I did was bad. This feeling, mixed with the stinging of my cheek, causes tears to form in the corners of my eyes.

"I... I'm sorry..." I manage to get out, as my tears begin to fall. I thought Aoko was going to abandon me now... That she hated me... However, these thoughts were erased when she pulled me into a gentle hug. I feel the warmth of the embrace flow through my body, as I sniffle, and try to hold myself back from crying.

"There's no need to apologize, Naruto... While you did do something that I should be angry at you for, it's not your fault." She says, rubbing my back in a soothing manner. I find myself quickly calming down, as my tears stop. After a few moments, she pulls back a bit, and looks me in the eyes.

"But you know, if someone doesn't tell you now, someday you would make a mistake that'd be unfixable. That's why I'm not apologizing for hitting you. You can hate me all you want, if you feel that way." She says calmly. I blink. Me? Hate her? That'd be as likely as me getting a duck-butt hairstyle, and starting to brood all the time. And I like my hair the way it is right now, thank you very much!

"No... I don't hate you, Aoko-nee." She gifts me with a warm smile. One that I can't help but return. She then proceeds to ask me about the lines... Those jagged, black lines that apparently only I can see. I do my best to describe them to her. As I do, she seems to go into deep thought until I finish. When I do, she looks to me once more, and begins to speak.

"Naruto... What you are seeing is something that should never be seen by anyone, or anything. We are all imperfect. This is because we will eventually break down one day. What your seeing are the points at which something or someone is most easily broken. In essence, you are seeing the future, Naruto." She explains, and my eyes widen in shock. Seeing the future? Before, I would laugh at the idea. I may be young, but even I knew that Foresight like that is impossible. However, I remember what happened to the bed, and what I did to the bush. Those two occurrences are enough to actually believe that this could be case.

"See the future, huh...?" I manage to say, albeit dumbly. I can't really help it, as this is a lot to take in. Aoko nods, and gives me a small smile in response.

"That's right. You can see death, Naruto." She begins, "Nothing really needs to be known beyond that. If you happen to go down that path someday, the principles will become clear to you as something that is needed." She explains, earning a sigh from me as I try to process all this.

"I... really don't understand, Aoko-nee..." I say in a disappointed tone. I expect her to sigh, or express some form of frustration, but instead, she pats me on the shoulder. I look up to her with confusion evident on my face, silently asking 'Why?".

"That's good, Naruto. It's important that you don't understand now. All I want you to know is that you must never cut these lines on a whim or as a joke, understand? If you do... Your eyes will begin to take the lives of others too lightly, and that is the worst thing that can happen." Aoko answered, as she looked out to the distance. I look in the same direction, but I don't really see anything of interest.

"... Okay. I won't do it again, Aoko-nee. Besides, doing it does kinda' give me a headache..." I reply, earning a nod of approval from her.

"Good, Naruto. Never forget what you felt here today. If you stay that way, I'm sure you'll eventually find real happiness." I smile at this. Before, I would loudly brag about how I definitely would find happiness, and become Hokage, so that everyone would have to respect me. However, my time with Aoko taught me that just a position wouldn't earn me respect. I'd have to work hard, and have a positive attitude to earn it. However, right now, something occurs to me that makes me feel upset.

"Aoko-nee... I'm a bit worried... I can see the lines no matter where I go... And if I touch them, things around me would break apart." I say worriedly, looking back to her with concern. She looks back at me, before giving a reassuring grin.

"You're right, Naruto. I'll be able to help you with that, at least... It seems that's why I'm here with you." She begins with a sigh. "Naruto, tomorrow I'll give you three very special presents. I'll help you gain some of the normalcy that should have been in your life." She says. After this, we begin to talk about various things for the rest of the day, until it's time for us to part for now. After saying our farewells, I return to my room in the Hospital. Once I get into bed, I fall asleep almost immediately, excited for what was to come the next day.

Little did I know, tomorrow would not only bring about something great, but also something very sad for me...

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The Next Day...

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When I wake up in the morning, I immediately get dressed, and head out to the spot Aoko and I meet at usually. When I arrive, I notice that she is here earlier than normal. I'm a bit surprised, but I'm happy. This means I get to spend more time with her today. I walk up to her, but I notice that she has her suitcase yet again. Almost immediately, I can tell something is different about this meeting.

"I'm here, Aoko-nee." I say simply, as I set down next to her, as per usual. She favors me with a small smile and a hug, before beginning to speak.

"I'm glad you're here early, Naruto. I need you to do me a favor, and show me where the seal is on your body. Then I'll give you your first present." She says. I blink in confusion, before I oblige by lifting up my shirt, and channeling a bit of chakra through my body, causing the seal to appear. I blush in mild embarrassment, before I feel a cool, slightly wet sensation moving across my stomach. I look down to see Aoko using a brush designed for drawing seals to form a new one just above where my first seal is. After a few moments, she finishes, and I feel a dizzying sensation in my head. I close my eyes as I release my shirt to steady myself. Once the feeling passes though, which doesn't take very long, I open my eyes, and what I see amazes me.

"A-Aoko-nee... I can't see the lines anymore! It's like magic" I say excitedly. She gives me a warm smile as I hug her tightly, thankful for having my regular sight back.

"Well, I am a sorceress after all, but that's correct, Naruto. What I just gave you is a special seal I managed to borrow from my sister, and modify to suit you. It's the Aoko-Special, Magan Goroshi Fuin!" She says, happy that I like her first gift.

"With it, you will be able to control the flow of mana, or chakra, to your eyes much more easily in order to activate and deactivate your gift at any time, until you're able to do so without it." She explains, causing me to pause.

"Wait... You mean I still have the ability to see those lines...?" I ask fearfully. I'm honestly afraid of them, seeing as using them would break my promise to Aoko. She nods, before beginning to explain once more.

"Yes. That's the one thing that can't be fixed. Your only choice now is to keep living your life, and do your best with the eyes you have now." She says simply. I still feel fear gripping at my heart. I begin to tremble slightly.

"N-no... I don't want these scary eyes... If I still have them, I could end up breaking my promise to you..." I whimper. In the world of Shinobi, anything can happen. This was a fact that the Sandaime drilled into my head a year ago, when I started attending the academy. What happens next, though, surprises me. Aoko actually chuckles.

"Oh, you mean never cutting the lines again? Silly, you can break that promise whenever you like. I won't be mad." She says, favoring me with a smile. I can't help but blink in confusion. Promises were made to be kept, weren't they..?

"I don't understand... You said that cutting the lines is something I shouldn't do..." I voice my concerns. However, Aoko just waves it off, before beginning to speak once more.

"That is true, Naruto. But, it's one of your gifts. It's yours to use as you see fit. No one else but you has the right to judge you. But out of all the abilities one can have, yours is terribly unique. If you have such a power, that means there is a meaning behind you having it. God doesn't give us powers for no reason. You might even say that you were given the 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception' because one day, a time will come when you need them. That's why you must not live in denial of their existence." She says, looking up at the sky once more.

I'm honestly a bit awed at this revelation. I never had thought of it that way. Was there really a purpose to me having this gift? If there was, did that mean there was also a reason why I was cursed with containing the Kyuubi? I have many questions, but I decide to file them away for later inquisition.

"But you know, that's why you must never forget. You are a very strong, kind, and honest person, Naruto. As long as you remain the way you are now, your eyes will never bring forth any wrong." She says, pulling me into a light hug. I blush a bit, but return the embrace anyways.

"I'm not telling you to become a saint, however. All I'm saying is that you should live true to yourself, and become a man in the manner you think right. Since you can accept your mistakes and are able to apologize, I know that in the coming years, you will become great, and achieve your dreams." At this, I feel a warmth spreading through my body. I feel... Happy. Genuinely happy.

"Oh, but I must say, unless the situation has exceptional circumstances, you shouldn't activate your eyes. Special powers attract special powers. Even those beyond the normal life of a Shinobi. Only when you decide there is no other way should you use your gift, and even then, be mindful of how you use it. Power in itself is not evil. What is evil rests solely in the hearts of the ones wielding such power. Be it for good or evil, it will be up to you and the choices you make throughout life." I sigh, but nod and smile.

Next, she opens up her suitcase, and pulls out a moderate sized scroll, before handing it to me. I blink in surprise, seeing as the scroll seemed to be a bit wider than the suitcase. I'm about to ask, but I remember her telling me that she was a Sorceress before, so I decide against doing so.

"That there is your second gift. It contains not only chakra control exercises, and a Ninjutsu I believe will help you on your path in life, it also contains exercises that will allow you to eventually use Ki and Mana individually, and even someday access your Magic Circuits." At this, I grin and give Aoko another hug after I set the scroll down. She returns the embrace, before pulling away and reaching into her trunk once more.

This time, she pulls out another scroll. But this one has a different design than the other one. It's also much larger. The only scrolls I can think of that would be that large are either all-purpose sealing scrolls, and those summoning contracts that Mizuki-sensei covered in class one day. When she unrolls it, my suspicions are confirmed about it being a summoning contract.

"This, Naruto, is no ordinary summoning contract. With it, you will only be able to summon once, but that summon will stick with you throughout your entire life as your familiar. You won't be able to use the summoning just yet, but when you've gotten a few years older, you'll be able to summon something grand. Of that, I'm positive." She then goes on to tell me how to sign the contract, and then how to summon. After memorizing how to summon, I nip my thumb hard enough with my teeth to draw some blood, before using it to sign the contract with my name. The blood seems to glow a bit, before turning an ink-like black, and drying into the scroll almost immediately.

Once the process is completed, Aoko rolls the scroll back up, before putting it back in her suitcase. I suddenly get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I look to the woman I've come to view as one of my most precious people, and see her standing up, and picking up her suitcase. Almost instinctively, I know what's coming.

"Aoko-nee... You have to leave now, don't you...?" I ask sadly, getting a nod in response. I feel like my heart is breaking. The person who has been the nicest to me in my entire life is about to leave... And I don't know if I'll ever see her again... Tears begin to form in the corners of my eyes, but I recall something that Aoko told me during one of our meetings.

_"f you tell lies that even you can't believe, you'll only make whoever hears you sad."_

As those words echo through my mind, I force myself to grin through my tears, before speaking.

"Then I promise you, Aoko-nee... I'll definitely become great, and I'll be someone you can be proud of! That's a promise of a lifetime...!" I manage to say, closing my eyes to hide how sad I'm feeling. It doesn't do much good, however, as my tears are still falling. Suddenly, I feel a soft, warm sensation on my forehead. Opening my eyes, I see Aoko kissing me on the forehead. I blush brightly to the point where I think I'm beginning to resemble a blond tomato. When she pulls back, she begins to speak once more.

"That's the spirit, Naruto... I have no doubt in my mind that you'll fulfill that promise." She says, giving me another smile. I look away, embarrassed, as I wipe away my tears. I then watch as Aoko stands up straight, and turns away from me. "Well, this is farewell, Naruto. Life is not easy; everyone's life is a hard, long, rocky road, filled with dozens of pitfalls. You have more power than anyone else to do something about that, so pull yourself together." She says. I nod and give a slight vocal acknowledgment

"Yeah... Farewell, Aoko-nee." I say, trying my best to sound strong. She nods in response.

"Well done, Naruto. Hold onto that confidence, and always live true to yourself. When you find yourself in trouble, calm down, and think things through carefully. Okay? A solution will always present itself if you do. Everything will be alright. You'll definitely manage. Of that, I'm positive." She says after giving a cheerful laugh. Her words cause me to brighten up a bit, and calm down. What she says next, though, really cheers me up.

"Plus, this won't be our only time together, Naruto. I'm sure that our paths will cross again someday. I look forward to that time, since I'll be able to see what a great man you've become." At this, I can't help but give a genuine smile. It's only a 'Farewell for Now'. I feel relieved at this, and things going back to relative normalcy doesn't seem so scary now.

A breeze blows through the clearing. The tree branches and grass sway in unison. I only knew her for seven days, but she taught me things more valuable than anything else, and helped me more than I could have imagined. I feel like I've been renewed. A smirk plays on my lips as I look in the direction Aoko left in. "Just you wait, Aoko-nee... I'll keep my promise to you...!"

Coincidentally, I was discharged from the hospital soon after that, and was allowed to return to the academy. The villagers still glare at me, and occasionally tried to do hurtful things to me, but it's alright. I'll be just fine, even by myself. I'll continue to go through life with a smile on my face. And like that, my ninth summer ended. The new autumn arrived, and I think I became more mature.

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Chapter 01: Perceiving Death... Complete.

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PREVIEW

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_Hey everyone, Naruto here. Time sure does fly, doesn't it? It's been four years since I met Aoko-nee. It's finally time for me to graduate from the Academy, to boot. Things are only going to get much more chaotic from here on out, though. I can tell. However, as long as I live by what Aoko-nee taught me, I know everything will be alright in the end. By the way, did I tell you I've made new friends? I can't wait for you to meet them. _

_Next time on Magan no Naruto: "Chapter 02: Crimson Heart"._

_I wonder who will be on my team?

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_

**A/N: Okay, folks. I seem to have a much easier time writing this fic than I have any of my others. This one just seemed to flow so well. Granted, I did use some lines from some of Type-Moon's works, however, a lot of this was improvised. Keep in mind, though, that I do not intend on making Naruto god-like in this fic. He will be strong, yes. But he won't be able to beat Orochimaru just by raising an eyebrow. (Granted, I'd PAY to see someone make a fic featuring that, even if just as an omake! Ha ha.) Now, this will also be a crossover with the three Type-Moon series that I know: Kara No Kyoukai, Tsukihime/Melty Blood, and Fate/Stay Night. In other words, it's a Nasuverse general crossover. **

**Don't worry, I'm not abandoning my other fics. I just felt like getting this done to get my creativity flowing. Now, if you liked what you read, or have some suggestions on how I can improve my writing, please, let me know in a review! I'd be more than happy to take the time to respond. Just make sure it's at least somewhat detailed. Don't just say "I like it" or "It's good", and be done with it. I wanna' know what you liked, and why you liked it!**

**Anyways, that's all I've got to say for now. So until next time, folks. See ya'!**


	2. Friends in Arms

Magan No Naruto

A Naruto/Nasu-verse Crossover Fic

**A/N: Hey everyone. I'm finally back with Chapter 2 of Magan no Naruto! Sorry it took so long. I started this a while back, but my little cousin deleted the file before I could finish. So in the end, I had to write this all over. Combine that with my will to write leaving me more often than staying, you get the delay you had for this chapter. Still, I'm very sorry, and I hope you appreciate this one as much as the first. Please note that this story will mostly be told from Naruto's point of view. I don't know why, but I have a harder time writing this story any other way...**

**So, without further delay, let's get this show on the road!**

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, or anything from the Nasu-verse. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Type-Moon respectively.  
**

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Chapter 02: Friends in Arms

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Naruto's P.o.V.

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It's amazing how time can fly by so fast. It's already been four years since my last meeting with Aoko-nee, and a lot has changed... Though, I suppose at the same time, nothing has changed as well. The village is still the same, with the same villagers who hold a grudge against me for being the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Though there are notably fewer people out in the streets thanks to what happened two years ago.

Apparently, a prized Prodigy of Konoha and elite ANBU captain, Uchiha Itachi, slaughtered most of his own clan, leaving only a select few alive. Nobody knows why he did it, but rumors say that he did it all to 'test his own limits'. I don't buy into that, however. I met Itachi a few times when I was younger, and he was a really nice person. Someone like him wouldn't just commit mass murder like that for such a trivial reason...

Anyways, over the past four years, I've really grown up. Not just physically, but mentally as well. I now stand at a moderate height of 5'1". I still had my spiky blond hair, blue eyes, and whisker marks, but I've also lost some baby fat, giving me a slightly more mature look.

I also went through a change in wardrobe. Gone was most of the orange from my clothing. I now wore a simple black sleeveless shirt, semi-baggy midnight blue pants, and the traditional shinobi sandals. I also wore a pair of fingerless gloves with metal plates on the backs.

The topic of changes aside, I can currently be found at the ninth training grounds, surrounded by several solid copies of myself, each one formed from the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. I learned said technique from one of the scrolls Aoko-nee gave me before she left. They were good for actual combat, as well as information gathering and training.

I look around at my remaining clones, assessing the situation carefully. I have been at this for a while now, all in an attempt to get myself warmed-up for the Taijutsu portion of the Genin Exam that is being held later.

Once I feel I have a firm grasp on the situation, I make a "come" gesture with my right hand. This has the effect of letting my clones rush at me. I take a deep breath, before beginning to systematically take them all down.

I duck under the closest clone's straight punch, and quickly sweep it's legs out from under it before I land an uppercut to it's stomach, causing it to dispel. Taking my momentum, I spin in place and drive my elbow into the next clone, as I lean back to avoid a roundhouse from the third clone. Moving quickly, I catch it's leg as it barely grazes the tip of my nose, and with a brief burst of strength, I swing it into the fourth clone, dispelling them both. I'm finally down to the last one, and it seems to be thinking things through more than it's brethren.

I decide to take the initiative, and charge towards it. The moment I'm within range, the two of us begin to exchange blow after blow, neither of us managing to get through the others' guard. It isn't until I manage to catch a left hook from my clone that I get a chance to end it. I take the chance, and land a headbutt on my clone, causing it to finally dispel.

I grin slightly to myself as I admire my handiwork. After all, it's not every day an academy student can claim that they just beat a dozen or so copies of themselves. I was soon brought out of my thoughts by a familiar voice.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun!" A young man clad in a green spandex suit calls out to me as he approaches, a bright grin on his face. He is Rock Lee, a friend of mine from the previous year at the academy, and easily one of the nicest and most determined people I know.. Bandages are wrapped around his hands, and there are orange warmers covering the weights strapped around his ankles. His hair is done in a bowl-cut style, and he has a large set of eyebrows.

When I first met him, we were both training at the Academy's grounds. I was preparing for the final test of the year, while he was working towards Graduation. I ended up being surprised at how long he was able to go without resting, and how strong his attacks looked. I struck up a conversation with him, and we really hit it off. It turns out we were both looked down on in our classes. Me, because the behavior of my classmates' parents seemed to be passed on, and him, because he was unable to use ninjutsu or genjutsu. I ended up being completely honest with him, and told him about the Kyuubi, since I felt he was trustworthy enough, and I didn't want to risk a new friendship over a secret, no matter how big. And believe it or not, he didn't disappoint me.

He took it in stride, saying that I was very strong to keep something like the fox at bay. I thanked him wholeheartedly for his acceptance, and ever since, he and I were great friends.

"Ah, good morning, Lee! How are you doing this morning? Already finished your team meeting with Gai-sensei?" I ask cheerfully. Lee was on Team Nine with Hyuuga Neji and Tenten, with Maito Gai being their sensei. More than once, I've met up with them, and had a pleasant time. Granted, there have been times where I was wierded out a bit by some of Gai-sensei's antics, but he's a good man at heart.

"I'm doing well, Naruto-kun. My team has today off, so I was wondering if you'd like to train with me?" Lee asks, giving me a grin to top it off. The offer is tempting, but I know that if I accept, I'll be late for the academy, and more importantly, the graduation exam. And to be honest, I'd rather not disappoint Jiji by failing this year.

"Sorry, Lee. I'm afraid I can't. I need to get going soon so I'm not late to graduation." I politely decline his offer. However, he doesn't look disappointed. He instead gives me an understanding nod before flashing his "Nice Guy" pose. This earns a slight chuckle from me.

"Yosh, a youthful choice, Naruto-kun. I wish you the best of luck, and hope to see you become a proud genin!" Lee says, a smile playing on his features before he jogs off to the nearby training posts, and begins to plug away with punches and kicks. I can't help but give a silent 'thank you' to Kami for giving me such a good friend, before I take notice of the sun's position in the sky.

"I better get going now... Don't want to end up being late." I say to myself, before I began my trek to the Academy. Along the way, I see the villagers going about their usual morning routines, which happens to include a few glares in my direction, and angry whispers to each other. However, I brush it off with a small smile, thanks to a lesson Aoko-nee taught me during our time together:

"You can't let the villagers' bias get to you, Naruto. If you do, you'll just be proving them right. Instead, just take it in stride, and smile. Eventually, they'll see that you're not what they think you are." Those words gave me real hope, and whenever I find myself faltering under the village's bias, I simply think back to my time with Aoko-nee, and calm myself down.

It isn't long before I finally reach the Academy. The large building surrounded by fields for practicing the various ninja arts stands as tall as ever, yet it doesn't seem intimidating at all. At least, not to me. Stretching a bit, I proceed to head inside and into my classroom. Once there, I'm greeted by the sight of some of my classmates already being present.

The first one I notice is another friend of mine, though not yet on the same level of trust I have with Lee. His spiky black hair stands out from the high-collared coat he always seems to wear, with black shades hiding his eyes. He's almost always silent, so a lot of people think he's mute. His name is Aburame Shino, heir to the Aburame clan and bearer of Kikaichu insects.

Next, I take notice of a hairstyle that has a mild resemblance to a pineapple. The person it belongs to is clad in a mesh t-shirt that was mostly covered by a short sleeved gray jacket, brown pants, and the typical sandals. Soft snores can be heard coming from him, signaling that, as usual, he's asleep. His name is Nara Shikamaru, heir to the Nara clan, who are able to manipulate their shadows in numerous ways.

The third, and last other student present is someone I can actually relate to on certain levels. His spiky black hair sticks up a bit in the back, with two bangs framing his face. His appearance is completed by a loose-collared blue t-shirt, white shorts, and sandals. In his right hand is a book, and a small smirk is present on his features as he reads. He is Uchiha Sasuke, the last Uchiha loyal to Konoha. I don't know all the details as to what happened with the Massacre that brought that status about, but even I can tell there's something suspicious...

Regardless, I take a seat next to Sasuke, and pull out one of the scrolls Aoko-nee gave me. Namely, the scroll on summoning my own familiar. Ever since last year, I've been studying it thoroughly so I can be ready to perform the summoning.

It isn't long before the other students began to enter. From the loud and boisterous Inuzuka Kiba, to the timid and quiet Hyuuga Hinata. Along with the third to last student, a feeling of dread washes over me. And judging from his shudder, it happened for Sasuke too. Our fears are soon confirmed as the sounds of shouting erupt from the hallway.

"Out of the way, Pig!" "Move it, Forehead!" Two simultaneous shouts come from outside the door, before two girls try to enter at the exact same time. The result would be rather comical if it wasn't so... sad, I guess? Soon, the two break out of their stalemate, and get through at the same time. Of course, this doesn't settle things for them, as another argument breaks out.

"Hah! I got in first, Pig!" The girl on the right shouts. She has emerald green eyes, and long pink hair. Her outfit, consisting of a red sleeveless dress with a white pattern on the front and black shorts underneath, makes her stick out even more somehow. Her name is Haruno Sakura, and while she doesn't belong to a clan, her intelligence is surprisingly high. Not what you'd expect from someone in an argument like the one going on.

"Dream on, Forehead! I got here first, and you know it!" The girl on the left retorts. With long platinum blond hair and turquoise eyes, she's easily identifiable as a member of the Yamanaka clan, the "Mind Walkers" of Konoha. Her outfit is somewhat revealing, consisting of a short purple vest like shirt with a raised collar, a skirt that is cut off on the sides and bandages on her stomach and legs. She is Yamanaka Ino, heiress to the previously mentioned clan.

These two girls are known as the two biggest Sasuke fangirls in Konoha. When it comes to him, rationale seems to go out the window, and more often than not, trouble will ensue. Sasuke and I share a look, before returning to our reading. Of course, our attempts to ignore them are in vain when Sakura storms up to me, a glare on her face.

"Naruto-baka, get out of my seat! NOW!" She demands rudely, cracking her knuckles menacingly in an attempt to intimidate me. I look over to her, and sigh before beginning to speak.

"Haruno-san... There are no assigned seats in this class, nor does this particular seat bear your name. Now, please stop yelling, calm down, and take an open seat." I reply politely. However, this doesn't seem to go over well with her. With a snarl, she pulls her fist back and takes a swing at me. However, I manage to catch the hit while quickly standing up and moving behind her, twisting her arm in the process. She gives a yelp of pain as I keep my grasp a bit too firm.

"Haruno-san, while I know you like Sasuke-san's company-Perhaps a little too much—that does not excuse you from committing any act of violence on a fellow academy student outside of a spar. Now please, find a different seat before this gets out of hand." I say calmly, before releasing her arm, and sitting back down. Sakura shoots me one last glare, before reluctantly going to sit next to Shino. I shoot him an apologetic look, to which he gives an understanding nod.

After a few moments, two chuunin—identified by the special vests they wear—enter the classroom. The first is a tanned man with a scar across the bridge of his nose. His hair is done up in a ponytail, and he is clad in the typical chuunin attire. His companion is a pale man with no visible scars, but a forced smile on his face. His silver hair reaches down to his shoulders, and his hitae-ate is worn like a bandanna.

They are Umino Iruka and Touji Mizuki, the two instructors for this class. Mizuki seems to be your average academy instructor, not giving any special treatment to any student. Though, he does sometimes act a little suspicious. Iruka-sensei, on the other hand, is easily the better of the two teachers. He can be tough, but he makes sure that we're prepared for our careers as shinobi of Konoha.

Of course, he didn't start out like that for me. He was originally like everyone else, seeing me as the fox instead of myself. However, as time went by, I could see that he began to regret his actions as he saw what I've had to deal with in my life. It wasn't until last year that he finally approached me, and apologized for his bias. I simply smiled, and told him one of the lessons Aoko-nee taught me:

"Holding a grudge is never a good idea. All it does is cause more grief for everyone involved."

I forgave him, simple as that. Granted, I did keep him at arm's length, so to speak, until I was sure he was genuinely remorseful of his actions. Needless to say, he really was.

"Okay class, quiet down now. Today's a big day for all of you, and I understand that you're all excited, but we need to get things underway." Iruka says to the entire class, bringing me out of my thoughts. I put away my scroll, and begin to pay attention to his speech.

"Today marks the end of four years that you all have attended the Konoha Shinobi Academy, and it goes without saying that I'm proud of each and every one of you. You've all shown tremendous progress through years, and I'm glad I was your instructor so I could watch each of you grow up into fine students. This will be our last time meeting as Teachers and Students for those who pass, and for those who don't, it's just a 'Farewell for now'." Iruka-sensei says confidently, with a smile on his face before he nods to Mizuki. The silver-haired chuunin nods back, before passing out papers to everyone.

"The first part of the Genin Exam is the Written Portion. You must simply answer each question to the best of your ability, and try to get a seventy percent or higher. Even if you don't, it's still possible to pass overall. You all have one hour to finish." He pauses to scan over the entire classroom, making sure that everyone has an exam sheet. Once he finishes, he gives a nod to himself before continuing to speak.

"Now that everyone has an exam sheet, you may now... Begin!" He says, and not even a full second later, the sound of pencils scratching against paper fills the room, my own included. The hour we were given seems to fly by, as everyone finishes one by one. It feels like it's only been a few minutes, but time soon runs out, and Iruka-sensei claps to get the class's attention. I, along with everyone else, look up from the exam to him.

"Alright, class. The first portion of the Genin Exam is now over. Now, if you all will follow me outside, so we can conduct the Taijutsu portion!" With that, he goes to the door leading to the Academy's sparring grounds and opens it. Taking this cue, the entire class stands up, and walks out the door in a single file line. I'm naturally the last one to reach the door. When I do, I cast a glance back into the classroom in Mizuki's direction. I catch a glimpse of a malicious gleam in his eyes as he goes around to collect the exam sheets. I narrow my eyes, but I don't linger any longer than that.

It isn't long before everyone is at the Academy Training Grounds and quiet, thanks to Iruka-sensei's supervision. Everyone listens intently as he explains the rules of this portion of the exam. Basically, it's a series of "Round-Robin" taijutsu spars. Weapons, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu are prohibited, and using any of them will result in an instant loss. Same deal for if you land out of the ring. I feel a bit nervous, since my training has mostly revolved around me using a kunai or a knife for close-range combat...

Soon, everyone is put into teams of three, with myself paired up with Hinata and Chouji. I feel a bit more confident now, knowing that I have two supportive friends with me. After I take a deep breath, I focus in on what Iruka-sensei is saying again.

"Now that the teams are all set, the first match will be Naruto, Hinata, and Chouji against Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru. Both teams, please choose one of your members and have them enter the ring." With that, both teams enter a huddle... Though we can easily hear Sakura nominating Sasuke with the reason being that he could win all three matches hands down. A sigh escapes my lips at that.

"Hinata... Why don't you go first? Your taijutsu is the best out of all of us." Chouji whispers, and I can't help but nod in agreement. It makes sense for us to get a strong start, after all. Giving a nod and a meek "Y-yes", Hinata breaks from the huddle, and steps into the ring at the same time Sakura does. Once Iruka gives the signal to start, Sakura charges, while Hinata assumes a defensive stance.

The match itself is somewhat amusing. Sakura, while superior than Hinata when it comes to brute force, lacks the style and agility that Hinata has. As a result, we are all treated to the sight of our pink-haired classmate growing more and more frustrated as she continues to fail to land a single hit on Hinata. After a few minutes, it becomes clear that Sakura is wearing down, and with one final attempt at a punch, misses and slumps to her knees, panting heavily. She raises her hand as a sign that she forfeits.

"It seems we have our first winner! Hinata takes a flawless victory to her team! Now, will the next two combatants step into the ring?" Iruka announces, apparently getting into his role as the "tournament" announcer. Chouji and I share a nod, and he moves into the ring as Shikamaru does the same. Once Hinata is back on our side of the ring, I give her a grin and a quick congratulations. However, instead of thanking me, she gains a rather large blush and faints on the spot. I raise an eyebrow in confusion at this.

"Round two is Nara Shikamaru versus Akimichi Chouji. Without any delay, you may begin!" Iruka calls out... Only for Shikamaru to forfeit two seconds later with the excuse of the match being too troublesome. A sweatdrop forms on the back of everyone's heads at this, before Iruka clears his throat, and calls the last two competitors of this match to the ring.

"Will Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto step into the ring, please?" He calls out. After some reassuring looks from Chouji and Hinata, I step forth and face Sasuke. A pleasant smile is on his face, and I feel a bit more relaxed. We both step closer to the center, and shake hands as a gesture of good sportsmanship, before returning to our starting positions. Iruka smiles at our good attitudes, before raising his hand up into the air.

"The final round of the first match, Uzumaki Naruto versus Uchiha Sasuke... Begin!" With that, we both rush each other. As soon as we meet at the mid-point, we both swing our fists forward, and lean our heads to the sides to avoid the incoming punches. We soon break away from each other and rush back in to try and land a a string of punches and kicks against one another. However, we'd both end up blocking or dodging.

However, a chance soon presents itself to me. I crouch beneath one of Sasuke's punches which extended a bit too far, and spring into a straight-up jump kick that connects with his jaw. We remain airborne for a few moments, before we both land. I do so on both feet, and Sasuke does so on his back. A chuckle escapes his lips as he pushes himself into a sitting position and rubs his now-sore jaw.

"Not bad, Naruto... Didn't know you were that strong!" He says with a grin as he stands up, and resumes his fighting stance. I return his grin, and charge him once more... Only to stop when Iruka calls out to us.

"Halt! The match is already over!" I nearly fall over at his words, while Sasuke just looks down in confusion... Before his eyes widened. I look up, and mirror his expression at the apparent result of my kick.

Sending someone taller than you five feet past the limits of the ring with just a kick can do that to a guy, after all.

"Well, damn. I was hoping to have a bit more fun. Thanks for the match anyways, Naruto." Sasuke says as he approaches me, holding out his hand. After I get back up, I take his hand and we share a firm shake.

The rest of the matches proceed by without any problems or anything exciting happening, so I begin to chat with Hinata, Sasuke, Chouji, and Shikamaru to pass the time. After what felt like only a few minutes, we hear the sound of a whistle coming from Iruka-sensei. It looks like the matches are over now, and everyone is lining up in front of him. We do the same, and listen to what he has to say.

"Well done, class. You all performed admirably, and fought fairly. As long as you keep training, all of you will only get better. Now, Mizuki and I shall call you inside one by one in order for you to take the final part of the exam, Ninjutsu. You will simply be asked to perform the three basic academy jutsu. Extra credit will be possible if you can show us an extra jutsu, so now is a chance to show your skills." Iruka-sensei explains, before calling out the first student's name, and heading inside with them.

I decide to take this time to resume my reading, and pull out my scroll to continue from where I left off.

_"A familiar is essentially the assistant of a magus. Since magi tend to separate themselves from society, the creation and/or summoning of a familiar to perform small tasks, such as running errands or gathering supplies is considered orthodox. While a separate entity from the summoner or creator, familiars are seen as an extension of a magus as there is a physical and spiritual connection between the two. Please note that familiars are fundamentally different from creatures who are bound by a contract and summoned."_

As soon as I reach it, I read that passage carefully. I can't help but picture something akin to two people being glued together when I read the part about there being a physical connection. I'm soon brought from my thoughts however, when I hear Iruka-sensei call my name. Looking around, I see I'm the last person in the training grounds. Shrugging, I reroll the guide and pocket it before heading inside.

Once I'm back in the classroom, I stand in front of Iruka-sensei and Mizuki—the former of the two giving me a small smile, and the latter giving me a strange look... I shrug it off, and prepare myself for the final part of the test.

"Alright, Naruto. First, you must perform the Kawarimi. Feel free to replace yourself with anything present in this room. At first, I get the urge to switch with the clipboard in Iruka-sensei's hands for a mild joke, but I decide against it. In the end, I pull off a quick Kawarimi with one of the chairs in the room, before switching back. Iruka-sensei and Mizuki jot down a score on their clipboards, before Iruka-sensei speaks up again.

"Very good. Now, please perform the Henge. And please, no jokes..." At the desperation in his tone, I can't help but snicker lightly. It seems he still has trouble handling the Oiroke I came up with last year as part of a bet. Shrugging, I think over what I could transform into for a moment, before deciding on one target. With a a set of three seals, I soon transform into a copy of the Yondaime Hokage in a plume of smoke. Both Iruka-sensei and Mizuki jot down a score again as I return to normal.

"Great job. Now, all you need to do is perform a Bunshin and create at least three clones." Despite my training, I still have great trouble with that technique. So, I decide to resort to the technique Aoko-nee gave me.

"Alright... Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" In a cloud of smoke, four solid copies of myself appear, with two at either side of me. Iruka-sensei's eyes widen, while I could swear I heard Mizuki curse under his breath.

"V-very good, Naruto... I don't know how you got your hands on that technique, but it is worth a passing grade..." He says, shock evident in his tone of voice as he hands me a hitae-ate. I grin proudly, before answering his unspoken question.

"It was a gift from a precious friend of mine... Someone like an older sister to me." With that, I turn and head outside, with my new headband tied around my forehead. As I do, I can hear the dark whispers of the villagers in the area to pick up their kids.

"Look... _He _managed to pass..."

"I can't believe Hokage-sama is letting him become a ninja..."

"We should've stopped him long ago... Now we'll be destroyed by that-"

"Shush! You know the law... One more word, and it'll be your head!"

Of course, I know that they're talking about the Kyuubi. But I don't let them get to me. I've got friends... Precious people who I can trust with my life, and they can do the same with me. As long as I have them, I can honestly say I'm happy.

I soon found myself at the Ichiraku's ramen stand to celebrate my graduation. As I enjoyed my meal and a friendly chat with Teuchi-jii and Ayame-neechan, a part of me wonders if there will ever be a day where these innocent times would end. I knew that it would, since part of a shinobi's profession involves killing... But what I didn't know...

.. Is that I'd be experiencing that time sooner than I thought... And all because of a traitor, and a girl...

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Chapter 02: Friends in Arms... Complete.

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PREVIEW

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_ I knew ahead of time that becoming a ninja would mean I'd eventually have to stain my hands with blood... I just never expected that time to come so soon... When Mizuki steals the Forbidden Scroll in an attempt to gain power, I somehow get caught up in the middle... And something inside me awakens... When I come too, my vision is flooded with red... A strange girl clad in a black dress later confronts me about what happened... My memory of the confrontation is hazy, but there's one thing I remember clearly..._

_ The lines... were back._

_Next time on Magan no Naruto... Chapter 03: "Bloodstained Ancestry"._

_ What's wrong with me...?_


	3. Bloodstained Ancestry

Magan no Naruto

A Naruto/Nasu-verse crossover fic

**A/N: Hey everyone, NanayaZero here again. I'm still alive and kicking, if not a little depressed right now. I dunno' why, either. I just feel... down. Y'know? Anyways... Here's the third installment of Magan no Naruto. Hope you enjoy it!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or anything from the Nasu-verse. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Type-Moon respectively.**

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Chapter 03: Bloodstained Ancestry

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Naruto's P.O.V.

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It's amazing how rotten a person's luck can turn in the blink of an eye. Though, it is times like this that make me wonder if someone in the heavens above is trying to make me miserable... How else would I have gotten caught up in a mission to retrieve the Forbidden Scroll from my former sensei Mizuki, and be the only one to find him and face him in combat?

I had just finished my celebration dinner at Ichiraku's. I had a lot of fun talking with Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-nee. We talked about everything from Teuchi-jiji's career as a ninja before he became a chef to get away from the violence, to the various pranks I pulled on occasion. The time where I managed to replace the Hyuuga clan's laundry detergent with a mix of multiple colors of dye seemed to get a real chuckle out of them.

At around 10:45 PM, I left for home, and was enjoying the quiet of the empty streets when Iruka-sensei quite literally ran into me. He explained that someone had stolen the Forbidden Scroll from the Hokage's Tower, and being the nice guy that I am, offered to help.

… In retrospect, I think Jiji needs to step up the training for ANBU and security if a chuunin like Mizuki can steal the Forbidden Scroll, and evade capture for so long...

Either way, I soon found myself in front of a shed in a forest clearing just outside the village. I could sense Mizuki's presence in the nearby shed. I don't know why, but I was getting a bit anxious... It didn't help that a headache was starting to form for me... However, I pushed past it and approached the shed carefully.

"Come out, Mizuki! I know you're in there! Just return the scroll and come in quietly, and you won't get hurt!" I called out in the most professional voice I can muster. Each step I take towards the shed causes my headache to worsen. However, I can ignore it for now. I had a bigger problem on my hands.

He soon came out of the shed, and began to laugh when he saw that it was just me who had arrived to stop him. I take a quick note of the large shurikens strapped to his back along with the scroll. I didn't think I had anything to counter them... Especially since all I had on me were some Shuriken, about ten kunai, and a dozen explosive tags...

"Oh, this. Is. RICH! The Hokage sends the demon brat after me... How delightful! I can finally get rid of you, AND deliver the scroll to Orochimaru-sama!" He says, before cackling like a madman. I raise an eyebrow as I pull out a kunai and adopt a battle ready stance.

"You seem pretty talkative... Why are you telling me all this? I could simply run now, and tell the Hokage that he needs his best ANBU to eliminate a traitor like you..." I ask, trying to get more information from him. He already let it slip that he was working for Orochimaru, the traitorous Sannin of Konoha without much provocation... Plus, this was helping me gain some time to calm my nerves, and for someone like Iruka-sensei or a Jounin to arrive and take my place in battle.

"Oh, that's quite easy, Demon brat... Or should I call you the Kyuubi? Either way... I'm going to kill you! You won't get a chance to tell anyone, and I'll be viewed as a hero!" A twisted grin crosses his features as he reaches behind him, and pulls one of the shurikens free. He soon begins to spin it in his hand rapidly before he throws it at me with all his strength.

I manage to avoid it by diving forward and somersaulting to quickly get back to my feet before I charge Mizuki. His insane grin never leaves as he pulls another giant shuriken from his back, and begins to use it to counter and block my attacks. A curse escapes my lips as I realize that I need to disarm him first.

I quickly form a cross shaped seal with the index and middle fingers of both my hands, causing six Kage Bunshin to appear around me. We all exchange a quick nod, before readying our Kunai and charging Mizuki once more.

Two of my clones reach him first, and immediately engage my former sensei in a taijutsu battle. At first, it seems like my clones are on equal footing with him, but after a while it becomes increasingly apparent that Mizuki is just toying with them. My third and fourth clones sneak around behind the traitor and attempt to impale him from behind, but to my dismay, all four clones are dispatched with a single spinning slash from his shuriken.

"Shit... This doesn't look good..." I mutter to myself, cursing that I couldn't just use Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to swarm him. If I did, there would be a chance I'd damage the scroll, and that's something I'd like to avoid... Sighing to myself, I form four more clones to restore my numbers and together, all seven of us charge the silver-haired chuunin. At least... That's what I planned.

"This is pathetic, demon brat! Why don't you just accept your fate and DIE?" With that deranged exclamation, Mizuki counter-charges me and my clones. As he does so, strange black markings that resemble tiger stripes begin to spread across his body. The minute the markings come into view, I'm assaulted by a wave of nausea...

My throat dries up...

My mind slowly becomes engulfed in a haze...

My body begins to tremble...

I begin to feel as if I want to do something... But what? Do I want to retrieve the scroll, and bring this traitor in? Do I want to run away? I have trouble telling, until a voice begins to whisper to me in my mind...

_'Admit it... You know what you want to do...'_

'I... do?' I think in response. It's like time has slowed to a stop around me, just as Mizuki finished destroying my clones.

_'Yes... After all, what else could it be aside from __That__?'_

'That...? What do you mean by that?' I ask the voice, despite the feeling in the back of my mind that was telling me I already knew the answer... By this point, my body had stopped trembling, and my hand somehow found its way up to my forehead, with my index and middle fingers pressed to where the seal Aoko-nee placed on me...

_'You know the answer... Now go on... Do it... Make __That__ happen...!'_

The last thing I see before the world around me goes black... is something I prayed I'd never see again...

The lines... Were back...

* * *

Unknown P.o.V.

* * *

When I had first heard of a land that was widely inhabited by people who could use an art similar to magic, and could bend the elements to their wills, I was admittedly excited. After all, it is not every day that you see someone walk on water while lightning engulfs their hands, or they apparently destroy the mind of an enemy in mere seconds.

Now, though... It all seems so... _Boring_. It is like a magician act. People only believe it to be a miracle until they learn how it is really done. Though, I am still impressed at how mere humans could take certain parts of their 'arts' to new extremes. A prime example being the one known as the Yondaime Hokage, the person I had originally come to meet.

I had heard from one of my resources that the man had managed to seal a beast that could even overpower a True Ancestor in terms of brute force into a newborn. Such a thing was unheard of outside the veil that seemed to cover these lands. I had wanted to meet the man who performed what was deemed impossible by magi, but unfortunately, it seems he has been dead for quite a few years now.

I suppose that is to be expected when one chooses to call upon death itself.

Regardless, I find myself wandering the forested area outside the village of Konoha, hoping to find a good location for reading the stars in peace and quiet. Is it wrong for a woman like myself to have such a hobby?

… I can already hear my sister laughing at me for referring to myself as a 'woman' in spite of my appearance...

I soon come across a clearing that seems perfect for reading the stars... However, it seems to be far from peaceful, as the sounds of what I assume to be a battle are coming from another nearby clearing. Curiosity gets the better of me as I move to take a look. And what I see surprises me.

Two Konoha 'shinobi' engaged in what seemed like a life or death struggle against one another. From what I recall hearing about, Konoha ninja are supposed to value the lives of their comrades a great deal. My interest piqued, I continue watching as the younger of the two—an admittedly cute blond with whisker-like markings on his cheeks—call upon that mixed power known as "chakra" to create solid copies of himself and attack the older one—a rough looking silver-haired man who gives off a rather disgusting and most foul air—with them, only for his clones to be mercilessly killed not long after.

I cannot tell how long the two have been fighting, but something appears to be wrong with the blond one... He is trembling a great deal. Perhaps he is scared of death? Such a foolish choice in profession then, if his headband is anything to go by...

However, I find myself soon raising an eyebrow as he suddenly stops trembling in spite of the older man's approaching attack and strange transformation, and presses his right index and middle fingers to his forehead. What happens next blows me away... A large amount of mana surges from his body—dwarfing the surge from the older one's strange transformation—and his posture just... changes.

Gone is the determined child hoping to emerge victorious against an opponent stronger than himself, and in his place... I could only describe it as the air of a veteran assassin. One who has no trouble killing others, regardless of the reason... It is like nobody will be spared by him...

"Of course... This is what needs to happen." The blond says in a calm voice, as he simply sidesteps the older one's attack, and connects with a vicious stabbing kick to his back. The older one finds himself sprawled out on the ground, confused about what had just transpired.

"Come on, Mizuki-_sensei_, weren't you going to kill me?" He continues to speak in a taunting tone of voice, making the honorific used sound greatly insulting. The man I know now as Mizuki growls, and jumps to his feet, before attempting to cleave the blond in two once more with his oversized shuriken.

"SHUT UP AND DIE, DEMON BRAT!" He yells, only to miss once again. However, this time, the blond—who I was curious about why he would be called a 'demon brat'-merely slashes at the shuriken from his sidestepped position, causing the weapon to split cleanly in two. I knew right then and there that I would need to confront the blond after this, as I can tell that kunai he is wielding should not have been able to cut through a high-quality metal like that.

The one known as Mizuki stares at his now-destroyed weapon in shock, before roaring in anger. His body seems to increase in size and muscle mass, while orange and black fur sprouts all over his skin. I cannot help but wonder if this sort of hideous transfiguration is normal for a ninja...

"I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU, DEMON!" He yells, before charging the blond with more speed than he possessed before. However, the blond proves to be much more agile, as he jumps over the transformed Mizuki and lands an impressive backwards kick to the back of the tiger-esque man's head, causing him to stumble once more.

The blond lands rather gracefully on both feet, before turning around, and rushing the transformed Mizuki... Before the man can even react, he is forced to yell in pain as his left arm is swiftly removed from the rest of his body. Clutching the bloody stump, Mizuki turns to glare at the blond and charge at him once more, only to fall as his right leg is removed in the same manner as his arm.

The transformed man is obviously scared now, seeing as he can only crawl on the ground now. "W-wait, Naruto! P-please don't kill me! I didn't mean what I said! Honest!" He begs, causing me to nearly wretch at him. How disgusting... Does this man have no pride? Where as I am disgusted by this behavior, the one I know now is called "Naruto" seems to be amused, if his chilling laugh is anything to go by...

"Eyesore... Disappear." With that, he proceeds to behead the older man with a swift slash of his knife. He does not stop there, however... He ignores the blood splashing onto his person, and continues to cut the older man into pieces, until he's nothing more than 17 cleanly-cut chunks of flesh, bone, organs.

His job complete, Naruto swipes his kunai through the air swiftly, removing the blood from its blade. I doubt I will ever forget this scene... His blood-stained form standing in the middle of the clearing, his blade glistening in the moonlight... And his silver-blue eyes with semi-slitted pupils glowing in the darkness of the night... It was so violent... So brutal... And yet...

… So _enchanting_ at the same time...

* * *

Naruto's P.o.V.

* * *

'How long has it been since I blacked out...?' I think to myself as I finally begin to regain consciousness. My body feels heavy... My mind is still rather hazy, but it's beginning to clear up... One by one, my senses are starting to return to me... I feel the ground underneath my feet, and the kunai in my hand...

Good. I'm still alive... Did Mizuki get caught after I passed out..?

I'm assaulted by a really strong smell... It's foreign, but at the same time, it's very familiar... I've smelled it before... I just can't think of where...

I hear the sounds of the wildlife in the forest around me, and the tree leaves rustling in the wind... My body begins to relax... Though the fact I was left unconscious in the middle of a clearing kinda' ticks me off...

My sight soon returns to me... And I find myself gasping in shock. All around me... are bloody chunks of flesh... I'm beginning to feel scared now... What could have happened while I was out..? From the corner of my eye, I spot a round object on the ground with silver hair on top...

It doesn't take me long to figure out that the object was a head... And the flesh and blood all around me was Mizuki's...

I begin to feel sick to my stomach... It's not the same as before I blacked out, but... It feels like I'm about to throw up... I wonder what it is that caused such pure carnage... Until I see something that is slowly fading from my view... Something I had trouble noticing in the dark... It told me exactly what had happened here.

The lines were back, despite them slowly vanishing from my view, and I had _killed_ Mizuki mercilessly using them.

I stagger back a bit, before I fall to my hands and knees, and empty the contents of my stomach on the ground... Tears begin to fall from my eyes as the full weight of what happened hits me... I had killed someone. And I did so in the worst way possible...

It isn't long, however, before the sound of someone clapping reaches my ears. Looking up weakly, I notice that a girl with long black hair dressed in a gothic-lolita dress was approaching me.

"Stay back..!" I manage to choke out, fearing that the same thing may happen again. Instead of heeding my words, however, the girl seems to gain an amused look as she continues to approach me.

"Such a marvelous performance, Assassin-kun... You had me on the edge of my seat. Though... Why are you reacting so negatively to something you must have done many times before?" She asks in a regal tone of voice. She easily brings to my mind the image of a noble... However, this is not what I need right now.

"Sh-shut up...! I'm not an assassin! I'm not a killer!" I snap in response, shooting the best glare I can muster at her. It doesn't seem to do much, as she keeps her amused expression.

"That is a weak lie, Assassin-kun. There is no way that such skill could be displayed by one who has never killed before." She says with a slight giggle at the end. I'm about ready to snap at her again, but my strength is quickly leaving my body. My vision blurs, before I hit the ground, out cold...

As I let unconsciousness take me, I couldn't help but wonder... What caused me to black out...? Was what the girl saying really true...? Am I really a killer...? And more importantly...

Who was she..?

* * *

Chapter 03: Bloodstained Ancestry... Complete

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PREVIEW

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_I'm unsure of how long I was unconscious, but when I wake up again, I realize that I'm in a rather fancy apartment... Something I could probably never afford in the near future. The strange girl is there, and she seems to be real curious about me, and my fight against Mizuki. I can't help wondering why, but that's the least of my problems...I still need to return the scroll to Jiji, and pray he lets me off easy for killing that traitor, Mizuki... I also need to attend the team assignments at the academy... Do I really feel up to that after what happened, though...?_

_Next time on Magan no Naruto... Chapter 04: "Altrouge Brunestud"._

_ What the hell is a Dead Apostle..?_


	4. Altrouge Brunestud

Magan no Naruto

A Naruto/Nasu-verse crossover fic

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 4 of Magan no Naruto. I don't really have much to say other than I'm sorry for making you all wait so long for this. With that out of the way, let's get on with the chapter!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor anything from the Nasu-verse. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Type-Moon respectively.**

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Chapter 04: Altrouge Brunestud

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Naruto's P.o.V. - Unknown Location

* * *

It's... Dark. This is the first conclusion I made when I opened my eyes. Everywhere I looked, all I could see was darkness. Even the 'ground' I was on was pitch black. It was as if this place—wherever it is—was designed to give total sensory deprivation... At least, that's what I thought until a sound reached my ears.

… Was that... crying?

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and begin to try and pinpoint the source of the crying. It doesn't take me long, so within moments, I take a tentative step towards the origin. I blink in surprise at how solid the 'ground' beneath my feet felt. I then begin my trek to find who—or what—is crying. After what I assumed was a short walk from how many steps it took, I find the answer I was looking for, and to be brutally honest... It was not what I had been expecting to find.

The source of the crying was a young girl, probably around my age. She had long, crimson hair that reached past her back, and fanned out onto the floor behind where she was curled up. In spite of her position, I could get a good look at her face, and was surprised at how delicate and beautiful she looked. Yet, something warned me that she could be very dangerous at the same time... However, the weird part was the cage of crimson bars surrounding her, making escape impossible for her.

I slowly began to walk closer, using my training from the academy to keep my breath and steps silent as possible. As I drew near, I noticed that the bars surrounding this girl were not made of painted steel, or anything similar. It was made of hair... The same hair fanned out behind the girl. My confusion rising, I finally decide to speak up.

… At least, I tried to. I couldn't make any sound. I could only stand there and watch as the girl was trapped by her own hair. I tried everything I could, from molding my chakra—which didn't seem to respond to me here—to trying to move closer... Nothing I did worked. Eventually, it seemed that whatever sick, twisted deity that was putting me through this decided to have mercy... As evidenced by everything fading to white.

* * *

Unknown P.o.V.

* * *

It has been quite a few hours since Assassin-kun passed out in the forest clearing, and I do believe he has proven to be much more amusing than what I first thought. After he passed out in that delightfully bloodied clearing, I felt something familiar within the energy these humans call 'chakra'. It was dark, bordering on being pure evil energy. It did not take me long to make the connection between this anomaly and the mutterings I've heard from those dreadful villagers.

This boy was the vessel for the Kyuubi no Kitsune, one of the so-called 'tailed beasts' that could rival someone like my sister in terms of raw power.

From what I had gathered during the time I was carrying this boy to my temporary residence, the seal holding the tailed beast inside him was created by the Yondaime Hokage, and cost him his life upon application. A shame, as I had wished to meet the man who had managed to come close to utilizing what is a mix of the Second and Fifth True Magics.

"Ngh... What the hell hit me..?" Assassin-kun mutters as he finally stirs from his slumber. It seems I will be getting the answers I seek sooner than I expected. I watch for a few moments as he goes through a series of emotions before finally speaking up.

"It is good to see you have finally awoken, Assassin-kun. I trust you slept well?"

* * *

Naruto's P.o.V.

* * *

"Ngh... What the hell hit me...?" That's the only thing I can say when I first realize that I'm awake. My whole body feels like it was pulverized by the Kyuubi... However, the pain is beginning to fade at the usual pace my wounds heal at. Once it no longer feels like my body is about to fall apart at any time, I'm able to notice that I'm no longer in the clearing from before, but instead in a bed located in a rather extravagantly decorated room...

The clearing... The moment I think of it, I recall what happened there... I'm forced to cover my mouth to keep from throwing up. The weight of what happened has hit me like a ton of bricks.

I took Mizuki's life using my eyes... I went against one of Aoko-nee's most important teachings...

I shakily take in a deep breath, trying to steady myself both physically and emotionally. It didn't do much, but I no longer felt like I was about to puke. I'm also able to register the fact that I'm not alone in this room.

"It is good to see you have finally awoken, Assassin-kun. I trust you slept well?" The voice that asks this sounds very refined... As if she were some form of nobility. I resist the urge to make a snarky reply. Knowing my luck, doing something like that would land me in even more trouble than I already am in.

"The sleep was lacking, but the bed is better than what I'm used to..." I answer calmly as possible, but there's a clear shakiness in my voice that I would normally curse myself for if I hadn't gone through what I had in that clearing... Taking another deep breath, I voice the main two questions on my mind.

"Where is this place? And who are you?"

I look to the source of the voice as I ask those, and almost immediately I recognize her as the girl that found me after I killed Mizuki. I try to jump away, but I get tangled in the covers and instead tumble to the floor on the other side of the bed.

I can hear her giggling lightly. At least one of us found this amusing...

"I'm sorry, Assassin-kun. I did not mean to startle you. As for where you are, you are in the suite of 'The Eternal Leaf Motel'. I brought you here after you passed out." She says after I manage to get into a sitting position. I can't help but raise an eyebrow at this. Last I remember, the owner of this motel hated me like a good amount of the villagers do. However, there are more pressing matters at hand than how I got brought into the best room of this motel.

"Alright. That answers the where... Now, mind telling me who you are?" I press for her name. I had to find out if this girl was connected to one of the clans that didn't exactly like the fact I was still drawing breath. The girl before me seems to sense the tension I'm feeling, and holds up a hand in a placating manner.

"Now, now, Assassin-kun..." I'm beginning to grow irritated with that nickname. "I don't mean you any harm. My name is Altrouge Brunestud, and all I want is for you to answer several of my questions." I don't sense any ill intent in her, or and deceit in her words... I can't relax completely, but for now, I suppose I can play along.

"Alright," I begin, climbing back onto the bed and sit down on it while facing her. "Ask what you want, and I'll try my best to answer it."

A pleasant smile plays on her lips, and I can feel my cheeks heat up a bit. Regardless of the situation, this girl—Altrouge—is quite beautiful.

"Thank you, Assassin-kun." She says, and I feel my eyebrow twitch. I hold up a hand to stop her from speaking further.

"My name's not 'Assassin-kun'. It's Uzumaki Naruto." I say calmly, trying to avoid letting my annoyance show. It's bad enough I have these damned eyes... The last thing I want is to be known for using them.

"Forgive me, Naruto-kun. I wasn't able to catch your name before." She replies, sounding genuinely apologetic. I motion for her to start with the questions.

"Alright... Would you mind telling me why you have a second source of prana within you?" I raise an eyebrow at this point. As far as I'm aware, prana has been forgotten in favor of chakra here in the Elemental Nations. The only reason I know about it is because of Aoko-nee's gifts...

However, that isn't what's really important now. What is important is that Altrouge may be sensing the Kyuubi... I open my mouth to try to give a convincing lie, but I'm forced to stop when a familiar voice rings out through my mind...

_'Just tell her the truth... You won't stand a chance if you anger her by lying.'_

'What do you mean? Who are you, and why are you inside my head?' I reply to the voice in my mind.

… I'll question the whole 'having a conversation with a voice in my head' thing later, when I have more answers.

_'Who I am is not important just yet. You'll find out eventually. But for now, just tell the truth. This girl is more powerful than you can comprehend right now.'_

'Hey, what do you mean by that? Hey!' I try reaching the voice, but it remains silent. Mentally sighing, I decide to heed it's advice. Besides, I doubt I could come up with a convincing lie anyways...

"The reason I have two sources of prana is because I... Well... I have a demon sealed inside me." I answer. I was expecting several possible reactions... But a pleased look on her face? That wasn't one of them.

"I see... I thought as much, but I have learned to never assume anything without all the facts." She states calmly. Before I can say anything in response, she moves onto her next question... And I freeze upon hearing it.

"Now, could you tell me how you were able to kill that man from the clearing so easily?"

Shit... That's right... If she was at the clearing, she probably saw me kill Mizuki. I feel myself becoming even more uneasy yet again. She's hitting all of my secrets with her questions...

"I... I really don't feel comfortable talking about that with someone I just met..." I manage to respond. Altrouge gives me an unreadable look for several moments, before giving a small nod of acknowledgment.

"Very well. I shall not pry into something you consider personal... However, I do hope that you shall one day tell me." I blink in surprise. That was... rather accepting and gracious. Regardless, I give her a thankful smile.

"I appreciate it... Do you mind if I ask you a question or two now?" I ask, apparently catching her by surprise, if her expression is anything to go by. It seemed as though she didn't expect me to have things I wanted answered as well. She soon gives me a nod of confirmation.

"Alright... Just what are you, Altrouge? Something's telling me that there's more to you than what I can see..." She blinks in surprise at my question, before her lips curve upwards in an ever-so-slight smirk.

"Very perceptive... I am indeed not human. I am what you would call a mix. I am both a Dead Apostle and a True Ancestor, both of which are vampiric species. Though in the latter's case, they are more an extension of the world's will."

… That managed to raise more questions than what it answered... Just what the hell are Dead Apostles and True Ancestors? What does she mean by 'an extension of the world's will'?

Oddly enough, it is then that my mind wanders back to a conversation I had with Sasuke and the other guys a few days ago... Apparently, there have been an odd series of deaths within the village for the past month or so. The victims have either been found with no blood in their body, or mauled almost beyond recognition...

And that's just with the victims they've been able to find.

'Wait... Vampiric species..?' Almost immediately, I'm back on my guard. But Altrouge seems to know what I was thinking, and speaks up before I can even try anything rash.

"I am not the killer that has been plaguing your village, Naruto-kun. I am able to refrain from drinking human blood. The one behind those murders is a Dead Apostle Ancestor."

… I really need to figure out how she read my mind like that. But that's for later. Right now, there's a more pressing matter at hand. I'm about to question things further when a loud 'caw' comes from outside... Louder than what should be possible from a bird. Turning around to face the window, I'm greeted by the sight of a bird made of an entirely black substance, with glowing red eyes. It seems to stare at Altrouge and I for a moment, before taking off into flight.

"Oh dear... It seems as though I've been found..." Altrouge says regretfully. I turn back around with a confused expression on my face.

"Found? By who? Why is someone looking for you?" I ask cautiously. The girl before me sighs, before standing up and gesturing towards the door.

"There's no time for questions right now We must escape from here now, before _he_ shows up." She replies briskly, before the sounds of wild animals can be heard coming from the floors below us, accompanied by anguished screams from the other people in the motel. I instinctively pull out a kunai in order to prepare myself for whatever is going to happen next.

"What the hell is going on here?" I demand to know, shooting a look to Altrouge. Her answer comes in the form of a single sentence...

"The number of the beast has arrived..."

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Chapter 4: Altrouge Brunestud... Complete!

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PREVIEW

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_The Dead Apostle Ancestor... Nrvnqsr Chaos... Also known as the Number of the Beast. With his arrival, countless deaths have plagued Konoha. I'll never forgive him for threatening my home. Aoko-nee... I think I finally understand what my purpose is... Even if it means using my eyes, I will protect everyone!_

_Next time on Magan no Naruto... Chapter 5: "He who Sees Death"._

_ This is what it means to kill..._

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**A/N: HAH! I bet you all thought I was dead or something, didn'tcha? Well, truth be told... I thought the same thing about my muse for this story. But hey, here it is! Chapter 4, better late than never! … Also, I'd like to apologize for the shortness compared to other chapters. I felt this was a good place to stop, and I feel I've kept you all waiting for far too long as it is.**

**Welp, until next time folks!**


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